News Flash!! News Flash!! Brett Archibald found alive drifting alone at sea

Brett Archibald , 50, from Camps Bay who has been missing since yesterday morning after falling off a boat in Inodnesia has been found alive and floating in the sea!

He is believed to be a bit sunburnt and suffering from dehydration. He is on board the boat that rescued him.

Brett on board the BARRENJOEY shortly after he was rescued. Photo credit: JM Tostee

Brett had drifted approximately 10 nautical miles in a Westerly direction for approximately 27 hours before being rescued. He was found holding onto a log.

 He said he came close to drowning at least eight times during his 27-hour ordeal swimming and drifting at sea. He had been stung by jelly fish, picked at by fish while seagulls had tried to pluck his eyes out!

He was found at 2 am this morning (South African time on 18 April),

According to a report just released by the NSRI  family and friends of Brett Archibald are overjoyed Brett has been found alive and well,  after almost 27 hours adrift at sea without a life-jacket after going missing overboard. He had been on a surfing trip at the Mentawai Islands (a chain of seventy islands off the Western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia).

Brett had been sea sick on the boat NAGA LAUT and at around 5 am (Indonesian time) yesterday. He had disappeared overboard in rough seas about 20 nautical miles from land.

After a massive search and rescue effort he was found drifting at sea by the surf charter motor sail yacht BARRENJOEY (an Australian surf charter boat and crew) at around 6.30 (Indonesian time) and just after midnight South African time, 12 nautical miles East of Sipura Island. He was rescued by the BARRENJOEY

NAGA LAUT raced to rendezvous with BARRENJOEY at sea but not before Brett’s wife, Anita, and family were contacted with the good news.

Brett will be taken to Padang, West Sumatra, aboard NAGA LAUT to be assessed medically and if his medical condition requires he will be airlifted to hospital in Singapore.

Sincerest gratitude is extended by Brett’s wife Anita Archibald and the family and friends of Brett to the crew of the motor sail boat BARRENJOEY and to all Indonesian maritime rescue services, Australian and United Kingdom maritime rescue and the private volunteers who assisted and who were involved in the search and rescue operation that brought this effort to a successful conclusion and to the hundreds of people on the facebook page ‘Searching for Brett Archibald’ who expressed hope and strength.

 The first message of good news came to Anita at around 1,30 this morning (South African time) in an SMS message from a Chantelle which read: “barrenjoey mcgroder. And barrenjoey surf charters. John, Belinda and crew Doris and their two sons Finn and Duke (5 + 8 years old) – who also had their binoculars out as well – found Brett.”

Anita spoke to Brett for the first time by phone at around 4.15 am today (South African time). Brett told her he had been extremely sea sick and may have passed out on the deck of NAGA LAUT while being sea-sick overboard when he woke up already in the sea behind the boat which continued away from him. No one onboard NAGA LAUT knew he had gone overboard at that time.

Brett has highly complimented his rescuers on BARRENJOEY. He is in good spirits. The owner of the boat, John McGroder and his wife Belinda and crew, Doris, have been highly commended for their efforts – “beyond the call of duty” in saving Brett.

Brett told Anita he wants to complete his surfing trip before returning home.

 Family and friends kept their hopes up that he would be found as he was a surfer and a good swimmer. They kept searching for him and their faith and efforts paid off.

See original story with photos: http://stfrancischronicle.com/2013/04/17/nsri-keep-vigil-for-camps-bay-man-missing-in-indonesia/

(edited)

All articles edited or written, all photos taken plus all adverts designed by the Editor and printed in the St Francis Chronicle are protected by the law of Copyright ©.  Reproduction or copying of any part of the contents of this newspaper and its concept and design can only be done with the Editor’s written permission.